The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-02-26
Glre G,tte4:lliIqet1er:,
wIIEELINa, ". VA, FEBRUARY 20, 1897
runctionn, Diseases of ALCOHOL.

A large part OF the population Of the
world Is suffering from the ELECTS OF alec.
hol. Recent statistics in England prove
that Of all deaths II pcr cent are caused
Indirectly and per cent directly from
alcohol. NJ Y 4S% q .55
One OF the classiGcations OF diseases Is
into functional and organic; the first be.
Ing a lowered condition Of health through
tho altered nervous supply; the latter be.
Ing tho Same condition through aome
change lin the vital organs themselver.
This article will rcier briefly to somo Of
the functional effects Of alcohol.
The man who has habisuated himself 10
alcohol up 10 tho first degree, finds in it q
daily necessity. He awakes in tho morn.
ing uurefreshed and prefers u morning
dram to his breakfast. As tho day sd-
vances the ncrvoussyg!em feels feeble, the
miud Is dull, the muscles grow tired, and
another drink 10 required. The action is
followed by reaction and aitor the glow
has subsided and the artificial strength Ia
expended, the same necessity oCcu,f
again, and thus It goes, the alcohol taking
the place Of food, the natural nourish'
ment OF the body. Hundreds OF thou
SANDS Of people are living in this unnstu'
raj way. NJ
Dynpeptlc symptoms arc among tho iirst
in which tho evil eGectu OF alcohol are
sosn. The stomach and entire alimentgry
canal are slrcharged with gas and annoy.
ing latulency results. The bowels be,
come irregular. The kindeys do not uecrete
naturally, sometimes acting too much and
at other times too little. Sleep also be.
comes irregular, at ono time an over.
powering stupor atnight occurring, or else
being deficient, resulting in nervous, irri.
table condition by day and o wakefu!
worrying feeling by night.
Later on seusory disturbances occur.
Ringing, bpzzing ,noises fill the head a
continual humping is going on in the
brain; black spots come and 20 before
the yves; all these annoying symptoms
arising from the irregular action OF the
heart and blood vessels. These things
may happen at times in the usually
healthy man, but they are the constant
and rsnal effects Of too free and habi.ual
uso Of alcohol. *
At this stage, also, the surface OF the
body shows some Of the bad effects OF the
habit. Tho calibre OF the small vessels
being so frequently contracted and relax
ed, they lose their tone, and the red nose,
flushed check, suffused eye, pimply erup-
tions, clsmmy skin, sometimes dry and
again covered with a profuse Precipitation,
mark tho tipplor even to an inexperienced
observer.
An undue thirst is another symptom
that is mover absent. Mrs. Partington
was sure, in her simplicity, that Isaac
never drank, any; at night because he
always wanted big glass: Of water
early in the morning. Alcohol has
great natural affinity for water, and tho
tissues Of the body that arc soaked with
alcohol keep requiring IN inordinate sup
ply Of water. Such body naturally de-
teriorates, growH gross, its necretory or
gans are overtaxed, its stomach distepded,
its heart onteebled, its musclea relaxed,
and tho whole nervous syatem loses its
tone and activity. tss #
Such man feels every change in the
weather, and suffers readily from equity,
rheumatic ana neuralgia pains. His whole
system is relaxed, and his life is liable to
be suddenly snuffed out by some acute
disease. Pneumonia, tho most fatal Of all
diseases, and one that has the highest per-
centsge Immortality, except consumption,
rarely, II ever, spares the habitual drinker,
Such man may never be drunk, though
regularly drinking, and may keep conso-
ling himself by the thought that he is not
a drunkard like his neighbor. The picture
is Sad one, but true one, and an unfor-
tunately common one. a@